But when she thought about the long nights her husband had endured and the hardships he had suffered, she felt heartbroken.
There are no geniuses in the world; they are all calm in public but work hard in private.
All achievements are the result of hard work and tears!
Thankfully, thankfully, it was all worth it!
That night, almost everyone in the family, young and old, got very drunk.
There was still some regret, though, because the old lady and others weren't there, so the joy was a little less.
Inside the palace, the Third Princess, who was about to retire for the night, was seen hastily receiving the Emperor.
You should know that since she moved here, her father had never set foot here before; this was the first time.
She was overjoyed and busied herself preparing tea and snacks.
The Emperor sat down, glanced at the furnishings of the room, and nodded slightly.
The entire house is decorated in a luxurious and grand style, showcasing royal wealth, but the occasional vases or some elegant little things add a touch of girlish liveliness and beauty.
"Songzhi, you've tidied up this room nicely. Didn't you take a fancy to that jade bonsai ornament last time? I'll have Steward Yi find it for you tomorrow!"
"Thank you, Father!" The Third Princess was overjoyed, her eyes crinkling with laughter, which made the Emperor feel much better as well.
He pulled his daughter to sit opposite him and asked her carefully about her daily life, including her food, clothing, housing, and transportation.
The third princess was flattered and answered in great detail.
She has lived with Jiayin for so long and has been greatly influenced by her, so she inevitably talks about Jiayin all the time.
The Emperor nodded repeatedly as he listened, and finally sighed, "I really did not make a mistake in letting Fu Niu'er into the palace. You have a playmate now, and you are much more cheerful and sensible than before."
The Third Princess felt a lump in her throat and whispered, "I was so ignorant before, and I made Father Emperor worry about me."
The Emperor was very pleased and shook his head to comfort his daughter, "You are my daughter. As a father, how could I not worry about my children? Fortunately, you have a very good nature, but you were not properly taught before."
"Fu Niu'er came from a humble background and suffered a lot from a young age, so she is more intelligent and perceptive than ordinary children. If you spend more time with her, you will definitely learn a lot."
"That girl responds better to gentleness than force. If you try to pressure her with your status, she'll definitely be unhappy. But if you treat her well, she'll repay you tenfold."
"Once she considers you one of her own, she will do everything in her power to help and protect you if anything happens in the future."
"You might not believe it, but even Father sometimes feels that this girl is a bit unfathomable..."
The third princess was surprised that her father had such a high opinion of Jiayin. She widened her eyes in astonishment and retorted, "Father, Jiayin is very good. She tells me everything and has never hidden anything or schemed against me..."
The Emperor smiled helplessly, waved his hand, and changed the subject, "Did you see any candidates you liked during the palace examination today? You're getting on in years, it's time to get engaged. If you found someone you like, talk to your father about it."
The third princess lowered her head, her neck and face quickly turning red, as she recalled someone's gentle smile.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow, smoothed the hem of his bright yellow dragon robe, and asked with a smile, "Tell me, let your father hear whose rascal has captured my princess's heart?"
The third princess hesitated for a while, but finally said a few words.
“Father, I saw Prince Lu once or twice when I went out of the palace with Jiayin before. I saw him again at the palace examination today, and I think... he is not bad.”
Prince Lu?
The emperor paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and he asked, "You mean, Lu Zong?"
The Third Princess nodded shyly, "Father, it is Prince Lu Zong. He gets along well with Jiayin's elder brother and they are both studying at the academy. The Li family is prudent in its dealings, and to be able to be on good terms with them, I think Prince Lu's character must be quite good as well."
The emperor picked up his teacup, took a sip, and used the opportunity to conceal the complexity in his expression.
In fact, Lu Zong was indeed on his list of potential sons-in-law, and he was even ranked first.
Originally, because Lu Zong was much older than his daughter, he was thinking about how to persuade her.
But now that his daughter has truly taken a liking to Lu Zong, he has become somewhat hesitant.
Was it a coincidence that the daughter met Lu Zong through the Li family, or was it arranged by the Li family?
Is there really such a coincidence in the world?
The Third Princess, having followed Jiayin and engaged in a battle of wits with the Empress Dowager for so long, is no longer the arrogant and ignorant girl she once was.
She seemed oblivious to her father's changed expression and continued to clutch the handkerchief in her hand, saying, "Your daughter knows that Father is currently working tirelessly to recover Jiangbei and is also worried about problems on the southwestern border."
"As a princess, I have enjoyed a life of luxury for over a decade. It is time for me to share my father's burdens and do my best for Tianwu."
"If our daughter marries Prince Lu, who is the only son of the Lu family in this generation, and if she gives birth to a grandson of the Lu family, then in twenty years, the one guarding the southwestern border will be our royal bloodline. Father will no longer need to worry about this."
The Emperor was overjoyed to find that his daughter had such awareness.
He took this into consideration, which is why he placed Lu Zong at the top of the list.
"Songzhi, I am very pleased that you have such thoughts. As Princess Tianwu, this is how you should be. I have not spoiled you in vain!"
The Third Princess was very excited. She smiled with her lips pursed and added, "Of course, Father. Prince Lu is handsome and has a gentle smile. I like him very much. I am also very happy that I have found a husband I like and that can help you share your burdens."
The Emperor patted his daughter on the shoulder and nodded repeatedly.
However, he did not agree immediately, but said, "Father knows your thoughts, but you are still young, and Father wants to keep you for a while longer, so this matter can wait."
The third princess seemed somewhat reluctant, but she nodded shyly.
After sitting for a while, the emperor got up and left.
The Third Princess escorted the Emperor all the way to the gate of Zhilan Palace, and even after watching his carriage disappear into the distance, she still refused to close the gate.
Unable to do anything else, Caiyun stepped forward and whispered, "Princess, the night wind is cold. You should go back and rest early."
The third princess sighed, concealing the complexity in her expression, and nodded gently.
Her father loved her, but that fatherly love... wasn't much.
Compared to the empire and power, she had no chance of winning.
Although her father seemed to believe her words of dedication to the country, he still had doubts and might investigate Prince Lu and the Li family.
She was very careful, but she still dragged the Li family down with her.
She bit her lip. For royalty, happiness was a pipe dream, but she couldn't help wanting to try...
At this moment, a dark shadow suddenly rose up on the roof of the main hall of Zhilan Palace, twisted a few times, and then quickly went silent.
Jiayin held a cup of milk, drinking it while flipping through her private collection, planning to find something nice as a congratulatory gift for her brother.
Although she and the third princess are a few years apart, it's normal for them to have some height difference.
But every time I walk next to the Third Princess, I always feel inferior, which is a really unpleasant feeling.
So she added a glass of milk to her bedtime drink, hoping to grow a little taller.
Shui Ling and Shui Yun sat on one side doing needlework. Shui Ling was impatient and would often get her hand slapped by Shui Yun for being rough, making faces and grimacing.
Shui Ling simply threw down the purse in her hand, turned to her mistress and asked, "Miss, why is the Emperor coming to Zhilan Palace so late to see the Third Princess? Aren't you curious?"
This is to make up for the chapter I missed on New Year's Day. The next chapter will be today's update. Hugs and best of luck!
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